Are You Dependent on Mods to Play TS4?

I feel like without my mods I could technically still enjoy the game, but I would rather do other things in that case. I constantly use LittleMissSam's mods, mods that improve the club system (I use clubs for many many things that, in particular, wouldn't work with a 8 sim limit), wonderful whims for the fertility, attraction system, extra personality and menstrual cycle; meaningful stories to make the emotions less jumpy, etc... I feel like my gameplay is so much more interesting this way.

edit: forgot to mention the most essential part, the mods that fix the lag!!